Safety-lock for switch plugs or keys of motor-vehicles.



I R. L. MUNDELL. SAFETY LOOK FOR SWITCH PLUGS OR KEYS OF MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION man JAN-3,1917.

1,239,292. Patnted'Sept, 4, 19 1.

I mV-Eivrox. lioberil L,Mu,na6e LE against operation; and one of theobjects ROBERT L. MUNDELL, OF ALBION, IOWA.

SAFETY-LOCK FOR SWITCH lLUG-S OR KEYS 0F MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Batent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

Application filed January 6, 1917. Serial No. 140,998.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT L. MUNDELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Albion, in the county of Marshall and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Locks for SwitchPlugs or Keys of Motor-Vehicles, particularly adapted, though notnecessarily limited in its use, for locking the coil-box switch plug orkey of a Ford machine of the invention is to provide an improved deviceof this character which may be readily applied and as readily removedand when not in use may be placed out ofthe way of the operator.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new anduseful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features ofnovelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangementof the several parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed andshown in the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention and inwhich,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an im proved device of this characterconstructed in accordance with the principles of this invention andshowing the same applied to a coil box of a motor vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view as taken through the cover of thelock.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of this improved device with the flexibleanchors and securing means detached therefrom.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 10 designatesthe usual coil box arranged upon the dashboard 11 of a motor vehicle and12 designates the steering post. The safety device embodies a cover 13which may be of any desired size and configuration, and constructed ofany suitable material, but is preferably of a cupshaped formation whichis adapted to be placed over the coil box switch plug or key 14, so asto incase the same.

This cover 13 is held in position by means of suitable arms 15, 16, 17and 18, which are secured together preferably as at 19 and to which thecover is secured. The portion of the arms adjacent the cover 18, in theform shown are preferably deflected so as to form a seat for the cover13, while the respective extremities 20, 21, 22 and 23 of the arms 15,16, 17 and 18 are again deflected so they will engage the respectiveedges of the coil box 10, the body portionof the arms resting againstthe front face of the coil box, so that the arms will embrace the coilbox and hold the cove-r18 in position.

The device thus constructed may be Socured in position, in any suitablemanner, preferably by means of a flexible anchor 24, one end of whichis" secured as at 25"to the extremity 22 of the arm 17, and the otherextremity of the flexible anchor is secured to a fixedsupport,.preferably a portion of the machine by means of a fasteningdevice 26, such as a bolt or the like.

Another flexible anchor 27 is secured to a fixed support, by oneextremity, by suitable fastening means such as a bolt 28, and the freeextremity of the portion 23 of the arm 18 is preferably provided with anaperture 29 adapted to receive a lock 30 which is also connected withthe flexible anchor 27.

When the device is in the position as shown in Fig. 1 it will be seenthat the switch plug or key 14 will be covered and incased within thehollow cover 13 and the device being secured against removal by theflexible anchors 24, 27, it will be impossible to actuate the coil boxplug or key without removing the device and this cannot be accomplisheduntil the lock 30 is disengaged or opened.

The arms hold the cover against shifting movement and the flexibleanchors 24, 27 hold the same against accidental or unauthorized removal.

When it is desired to operate the coil box plug or key the lock 30 isunfastened and the whole device may be removed from the coil box, andplaced in a convenient position where it will be out of the way but willbe secured against loss by means of the flexible anchor 24. When thesafety device is removed the flexible anchor 27 will hang in the cornerof the vehicle from the fastening means 28.

While the preferred form of the invention is herein shown and described,it is to be understood that many changes may be made in the details ofconstruction and in the combination and arrangement of the several partswithout departing from the spirit of this invention, and while the cover13 and arms are shown as being constructed of separate pieces securedtogether, it is to be understood that if desired, they may be all castor formed of an integral structure.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A coil box switch lock, embodying a cover adapted to be placed overthe switch, arms connected with the cover and adapted to embrace thecoil box, a flexible element connected with one of the arms adjacent oneside of the coil box and permanently anchored at a point remote from thebox, a second flexible element permanently anchored at a point remotefrom the box, and a lock proper for detachably securing the secondrecited element to another of the arms.

2. A coil box switch lock, embodying a cup shaped cover adapted to beplaced over and receive the switch key, arms connected Copies of thispatent may be obtained for with the cover, said arms extending over theface of the coil box, the ends of the arms being deflected to engage theside faces of the box, a flexible element secured to one of the arms andpermanently anchored at a point remote from the box, a second flexibleelement permanently anchored at a point remote from the box, and meansfor detachably securing the free end of the second recited flexibleelement to another one of said arms. v

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name to this specificationin the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT L. MUNDELL. lVitnesses.

A. L. Boncn'r'r, J. A. TURNER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

